1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to canes having a handle at one end and an article grasping devices at the other end.
2. Description of Related Art
The elderly and handicapped may use canes in order to help them walk. Some canes terminate with a quadriped base, which is basically a square plate having four separate feet at the four corners to provide additional stability. Cane users often have difficulty bending over to retrieve objects on the floor. For this reason, canes have been developed with grasping devices.
For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,176,160, 5,636,650 and 5,640,985 each disclose a combination cane and article grasping apparatus. A hook shaped article grasping jaw element is pivotally secured to the cane next to the cane foot. The element in the closed article grasping state grips the article by squeezing the article against the cane. The element is operated by a lever near the handle and a link mechanism. This is unsatisfactory because the jaw element is hooked shaped and exposed at all times and could accidentally cause injury to the user in certain circumstances. For example, the hooked element can catch on the user""s clothing and causing the user to trip and fall. Furthermore, the tip of the cane is subject to wear during ordinary use. Such wear will affect the accuracy of the mating with the jaw element. Moreover, this design is not suitable for quadriped bases.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,763,872 discloses a pickup device for a cane or crutch. The lower end of the cane is a hollow tubular member that slidably receives a complementary telescoping post. The post lower end serves as the tip of the cane. A gripper is formed in one side of the post comprising one or more bent fingers received in the tubular end of the cane when the post is recessed, the fingers extending longitudinally alongside the post and are biased to permit them to protrude radially outwardly. The fingers are spring material that normally are biased open and closed when the post is slid in the tubular member over the fingers. A retaining screw secures the post to the tubular member via a slot. This apparatus suffers the disadvantage in that the user must press the telescoping members against a surface in order to telescope the post and tubular member in order to close the fingers. The fingers also grip the article to be grasped against the post. If a convenient surface is not available adjacent to the article to be gripped, so as to permit pressing the cane post and member against, then the gripping member can not be operated. For example, an article floating in water, on an overhead shelf or on a soft surface can not be easily retrieved or gripped by this device. Also, the cane foot tends to get dirty in use and pressing it against a surface might pass dirt onto that surface undesirably.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,966,316 discloses a shoe horn and associated mechanism at the end of a cane. U.S. Pat. No. 5,810,466 discloses a flashlight in the handle of a walking cane.
None of the above patents recognize the need for a cane and article grasping device that can independently grip an article regardless the location and surface on which the article is located and also does not have protruding elements which can cause injury. Also, the prior art does not have the means for preventing damage and wear at the gripping point; or provide enough adaptability to permit use with the quadriped base. Furthermore, the prior art does not consider concealing the grasping device when no longer needed in order to maintain the appearance of an ordinary cane and avoid the suggestion of a serious disability requiring the use of such a grasping device.
In accordance with the illustrative embodiments demonstrating features and advantages of the present invention, there is provided a cane and grasping device including an elongated member having distal and proximal ends along a longitudinal axis. This elongated member has a handle secured to the proximal end of the elongated member, and a sheath. Also included is an article grasping device having open and closed states. This article grasping device is deployable between (a) a protected position sheathed within the sheath, and (b) an operative position exposed externally of the elongated body at the distal end. Also included is a device operator coupled to the elongated body for operating the grasping device in the operative position for grasping an article.
In one aspect, the arrangement includes a telescoping pair of tubular sleeves. One of the sleeves supporting the article grasping device.
In a further aspect, the device in the sleeve is in the protected position, the sleeve being selectively movable to place the device in the operative condition.
In a still further aspect, the sleeve and tube include cooperating latch means for adjusting the position of the sleeve relative to the first tube along the longitudinal axis to adjust the length of the cane.
Preferably, the article grasping device comprises a pair of opposing jaws having a closed state and an open state, and bias means for biasing the jaws open in the operative position.
In one aspect, the device operating means comprises link means associated with the handle for selectively placing the open jaws in the closed state to grasp an article.
In a further aspect, a bias means includes means arranged to automatically open the jaws when the jaws are placed in the operative position.
Preferably, the article grasping device comprises first and second opposing jaws having an article grasping closed state and an open state, and bias means for normally biasing the jaws open in the operative position, the jaws being pivotally secured to the first tube opposite the proximal end.
In a further aspect, the device operating means comprises a lever pivotally secured to a first tube at first end and adjacent to the handle, the lever having a quiescent position and a jaw closing position for placing the jaws in the closed state, and link means coupled to the lever and to the jaws for selectively closing the jaws to grasp an article in the device operative position.